Help Me Decide On Powerplant + Drivetrain

[Nic_A31]

What's up ladies?

At this stage, I'm currently respraying the engine bay on my long term Cefiro project.

After this, it'll be time to finally respray everything else, while I work out wtf to do with a running gear.

I've had this car for 2 years, and if/when I leave Perth, if I CAN take one car with me, this would definitely be the one.

Now!!

I know you guys are going to be all like "zomg easy choice top bloke, just smash a 25 in there!"

But here's the deal...I'm not after bulk power.

I'm at a bit of a crossroads here.

Realistically, I can narrow it down to a 20, or 25, unless I do take a leap of faith and go into unknown territory, trying another engine but being honest I can't see myself staying commited to this project long enough.

So.

OPTION 1)

RB20DE+T, w/ Autech gear (*manifold, high flowed turbo, injectors, ECU w/ Autech tune)

Pro's

Being RB20, it somewhat retains more value to the car as being unmolested, being Autech, gives the value a bit of wank factor.

20 is a bit better suited to daily driving, if I ever leaned on it for that.

Straight fit.

Con's

No matter how much work I do, it'll always be (lets face it) a laggy RB20. Not quiet enough power? but I've never driven a heavily modifed RB20....maybe it's not soo bad?

OPTION 2)

Series 2 RB25DET

Pro's

Obviously, a heap more power, torque, response etc, but from what I've driven, I'll be honest (and you guys can bash me all you like for being a soft cock here), probably too much power for my liking....like, I mean...with a 25, you're ALWAYS tempted to be silly...atleast with a 20 it's possible to actually behave. I guess this comes down to what the car's going to be used for exactly, but that's something I don't know.

Con's

Straight fit, but can be a pain in the ass to keep registered if I find myself moving around a bit.

Some value would be lost if I have to butcher wiring harnesses to get the motor in and running...once you go chopping plugs up, it's a whole lot harder to chuck an RB20 back in there.

Again, opposite to option 1, despite more power, it's a non factory motor, a non factory setup, and in the long run, would hurt the car's value.

OPTION 3)

?

So,

If you will, please, help me out here.

I'm still open to any other idea's here.

Ideally I'd like this to be a quick process after painting, and again, consider my long term goal outside of cars:

Once this car is finished I'm applying to join the army, IF successfull, I'd leave it in Perth, if I successfully complete training I might look at shifting the car to wherever I end up on the East coast, but that's a while away.

I do need to keep the car sensible, decent to drive, and simple.

Serious and intelligently informed responses only please.

Edited April 19, 2011 by Nic_A31

[NA_Goodness]

An RB25 would increase the value, cos it's not a crappy stock RB20E. I'd pay more for a Ceffy with a 25 in it then something with a 20. Personally, I reckon you're going to all this trouble, you may as well put the 25 in it and enjoy it.

And bullshit to not being able to behave with a 25, it all comes down to the individual. Hell, I went 3 months without hitting boost when my 33 was my daily!

[o0o]

my opinion:

rb25 for quite good power without alot mods...would be best if you don't wanna drift or customize much, just ride'n'die^^

rb20 very cheap and spareparts you'll find alot,...i ride a rb20det and think you can get serious power out of it:)...if it wrecks don't give a shit parts are cheap as f**k

if you wanna get the best into the ceffy put a jz in,...more expensive,...bla bla bla but good power and very strong^^

i asked myself this question alot and in the end i wanted a jz, but i'm not really a pro-drifter so i keep it low on my rb20det and still got fun

(if it's a daily driver keep the rb20 until you really need it)

[XKLABA]

if your goin to buy an enigne anyway just get a 26, more usable power for less money then moding a 20 or 25, with a couple of bolton mods i've got 290rwkw in the 32 and it is very easy to drive every day with great midrange(full boost at 2800rpm, noticable boost at 2000rpm), then ya put ya foot into it and all hell brakes loose.

stock motor with cam gears, full exhuast and 15psi on the factory comp it made 215rwkw, add just a boost controller turn up to 18psi and it did 231rwkw and ran 11.9 at 115mph in a full wieght GTR with a dodgy cat

change cat add pfc coils, plugs and z32 AMFs and 290rwkw and 11.36 at 125mph still full wieght

[Dan_J]

^thats responsive, link to built thread?

nick i know how you like the de+t idea so rb25de+t head on rb30 block

[toffy]

you can't go past a rb26/30botton for stupid response/drivability, i do remember someone explaining in a topic somewhere that a 25/30 making 180rwk was making almost or as much torque as a 300rwk rb25 (and smashing rb20 boxes to pieces) . to stay rb it's the only way to go IMO . next inline would be vh41 or 45de/+tt. $$ the rb is the cheaper in the end and 400hp at the tyres (average rb30det) is plenty for the streets

[Nic_A31]

OK....so...hypothetically....in my best case scenario...I do sucessfully join the army...and find myself being moved around a bit...maybe even leaning on the car as my main means of transport....you guys STILL think that BULK POWER is where it's at.

Even if I'm regularly re-registering the car in different states.....a fully built 26/30 is still the go?

Remember I don't want massive power / hypo response.

[a31rb25]

Stick with the 20 if rego is a concern. I've been in the RAAF for almost 8 years, lived in 4 different states, had to change my license all the bloody time and am sick of it. So much so that my ceffy is now off the road getting stripped out & converted into track only (& the occasional weekend cruise). If you want a clean & tidy cruiser keep it fairly stock.

That said, I wouldnt go the DE+t when you could simply buy a DET and get more out of it than a DE+t.

[Nic_A31]

What makes you say a DET has more potential than a DE+T ??

[Dan_J]

why is this thread still active if u dont want power?

just keep the 20 then

u just want to be posh' so you can say you've got a different engine in your car

[a31rb25]

Purely an assumption (i bought my car with a 25 already in it, so know nothing about 20s), but I'm assuming much like an SR20DE+t you'd be limited to almost stock boost due to compression. Quite possibly an incorrect assumption too.

Seems like a waste of effort to me just to be little different when there's plenty of DETs out there ready to drop in.

[Nic_A31]

KEEP the 20?

This is for my big resto project, which is currently sitting as a bare chassis with NOTHING on it at all.

Rego'd white shitter spec Ceffy is staying 20DET.

On an a31rb25...8 years? hang in there man, 2 more and you get the pension, right?

[a31rb25]

KEEP the 20?

This is for my big resto project, which is currently sitting as a bare chassis with NOTHING on it at all.

Rego'd white shitter spec Ceffy is staying 20DET.

On an a31rb25...8 years? hang in there man, 2 more and you get the pension, right?

Nah mate, no such thing as the pension anymore, that went out some time ago. 2 more years and I'm eligible for long service leave. Do you get on NS much? There's a thread there about joining the ADF in the jobs & careers section.

[simpletool]

RB25DET

Easier power, more torque. Put a GT30 on it and mild boost will stop you giving it the large all the time. Unopened will do 280rwkw easy, closer to 300 if you lean on it.

[Dan_J]

oh ok so u sold one of the 20's. so its rb20de+t, will bolt in and cheap enuff,just need info on how to tap the oil/ water ports with out getting filings in the galleries

also max psi about 15 after that your testing the waters unless u rebuild it with a metal head gasket etc

[Nic_A31]

Only risk with high compression is ping.

Keep the timing in line, and use high octane fuel, and it's fine.

Remember I was saying guy I bought the white Ceffy off, saying he used to have a NEO RB25DE+T running close to 2 bar, no drama's, four hundred and something rwkw, power band still climbing at 8 grand.

[a31rb25]

Only risk with high compression is ping.

Keep the timing in line, and use high octane fuel, and it's fine.

Remember I was saying guy I bought the white Ceffy off, saying he used to have a NEO RB25DE+T running close to 2 bar, no drama's, four hundred and something rwkw, power band still climbing at 8 grand.

400rwkw - was that built though? Quite a difference between building an engine specifically for that sort of power and just slapping a turbo on a DE.

[Nic_A31]

Motor was unopened.

Big snail on the side, then basics like injectors, tune, etc.

And yes, I realise that, but I ain't going to run nearly as much boost.

13PSI keeps me happy enough as it is.

Theres just something about DE+Ts...I drove Mr Eps old Ceffy, the power delivery is very different to normal DETs, that was the best 5 mins in a Ceffy ever!

[toffy]

yes i think the 30det is the best option . Only you really know what driveline you want , you drive it so you need it to suit you de+t away

[Kris..]

if iw as to ever do another motor for mine its be a single cam rb30, slam it in, massive turbo, skid